Catalogue Impact Days
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De Chona Mangalindan

Untying the Knot

IMPACT DAYS

Aux Philippines, le dernier pays au monde, hormis le Vatican, où le divorce est illégal, les femmes qui vivent des mariages difficiles subissent de lourdes conséquences. Ne disposant que d’options légales limitées et difficiles, ces dernières restent dans des foyers violents ou se tournent vers des solutions inavouables. Untying the Knot suit la lutte pour la légalisation du divorce aux Philippines à travers les yeux de trois femmes. Nous suivons Grace, Faith et Mercy, qui luttent contre les obstacles sociaux et juridiques pour se libérer de leurs mariages abusifs. Nous obervons le prix à payer alors qu’elles se retrouvent avec des perspectives et des ressources limitées et jusqu’à où elles sont prêtes à aller.

Section : Impact Days
Pays : Philippines
Langues originales : filipino, anglais
Réalisation
Chona Mangalindan (Philippines)
Production
Chona Mangalindan (Philippines)
Félicie Roblin (France)
Rosie Garthwaite (Royaume-Uni)
Amaya Films
Mediadante
Zadig Productions
Durée
90’ / 52’’
Statut de production
En cours de production
Finalisé en
Janvier 2026
Impact Statement
Women are overwhelmingly the victim when it comes to violent crimes against intimate partners. One in three Filipino women has experienced spousal abuse. Without any accessible legal way to dissolve one's marriage, most women get trapped in abusive marriages or flee at the risk of being charged with adultery - a crime that can only be charged against wives, with a maximum sentence of 6 years in prison. In shining a light on the long-lasting consequences of the divorce ban, Untying the Knot aims to put pressure on lawmakers in making significant legislative changes to better protect women and children, and allow for absolute divorce in the Philippines. Through partnerships with international NGOs, we hope to create a societal shift in attitudes toward domestic abuse and make it unacceptable.
Untying the Knot aims to support efforts to allow for absolute divorce in the Philippines and encourage the development of local structures and networks that provide mental, physical, and psychological care for victims of domestic abuse.
Impact Goals
  1. To build international awareness on the plight of Filipino women who are trapped in abusive marriages due to the absence of divorce legislation in the Philippines.
  2. To apply concerted worldwide pressure on the Philippine government to implement legislative and policy changes to allow for absolute divorce in the country.
  3. To support calls to decriminalize adultery and support initiatives that give legal aid to women unjustly charged with adultery.
  4. To support the development of local systems, structures, and networks that provide mental, physical, and psychological care for victims of domestic abuse. 5. To help create a societal shift in attitudes towards domestic abuse. No more: “It happened because you’re not a good wife.” Make domestic violence unacceptable.
Impact Strategy
  • Collaborate and share the documentary with opinion leaders, media and academics to open a dialogue on divorce.
  • Partner with key international organisations who advocate for women’s rights.
  • Present the documentary to policymakers and politicians in the Philippines.
  • Work with existing pro-divorce movements and allow them to use the film for community screenings and discussions.
  • Create a website that can collect signatures from divorce law supporters and directly send their messages to Philippine lawmakers.
Contact
Contact principal
Chona Mangalindan (Philippines): chona.films@gmail.com
Participant présent aux Impacts Days
Chona Mangalindan (Philippines)

organisations
LAW Center Inc.
Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines
UP Center for Women’s and Gender Studies

Film funds and agencies
Scottish Documentary Institute
Hot Docs CrossCurrents Int’l
DMZ Docs Korea

organisations
LAW Center Inc.
Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines
UP Center for Women’s and Gender Studies

Film funds and agencies
Scottish Documentary Institute
Hot Docs CrossCurrents Int’l
DMZ Docs Korea